Burning Soul

The love she had for him

"Theo! 

Let me in. 

Don't shut yourself." Vivian asked through the door.

"Go away! 

If you are also going to persuade me into this, just leave." His reply made her skip a beat. She felt rejected but she wasn’t ready to give up. 

She remembered the first time she met Theodore.

Theodore was 8 years old when his mother passed away. That tragedy left him with a deep scar. 

He had shut himself from the world. He wouldn't even eat properly. 

He also stopped talking to people. Everyone was worried to the bones, he looked like the saddest figure alive. 

One day, for some work Jason was travelling to the neighbouring nation along with Vivian. On the way, they stopped in Arboria to meet Evan. 

As their talk sounded boring, Vivian decided to take a stroll in the castle to see if she could find anything interesting. 

While roaming through the castle Vivian found a kid alone in a corner of the library. 

Alone, surrounded by books. The kid was engulfed in the pages of a book about ruins, the kid didn't even bother to see the girl standing next to him. 

"We have that vase at our palace. It's spooky though but if you listen closely, you can hear the whispers of the dead." 

Vivian's explanation startled him but, despite being scared, he looked rather interested. 

"Is that true? 

Such relics exist?" His eyes shone in curiosity. For the longest time, he waited for someone to talk about relics and ruins. His teachers and maids or almost everyone around him would try to persuade away from such things so he was glad to know there was someone out there who had the same taste.

"Yeah all of them, though not all have been found yet. 

I also like to look into these things.”

Vivian sat beside him, close enough o make him blush. 

Although he was a kid, he was a boy after all.

“Look at this figure, weird right, it's known to bring fortune, and this statue…" 

Theodore was looking at Vivian with sparkling eyes as she kept talking about the various pictures in the book. 

They spent the almost entire day talking about various things. The maids didn’t even interrupt them the whole time looking at Theo finally speaking up to someone. 

Later, Jason called for her to leave for the next destination they were supposed to reach by the night. 

"We are leaving now, next time when I’ll come, we’ll talk more. Okay?

Oh and I’ll bring some cool books that I have too! 

Umm…" Vivian stumbled as she didn't know his name, 

"It's Theodore" Evan introduced him properly but he had already fled the room with a cherry-red face.

This interested Vivian even more, she had never seen a kid like him let alone a boy. Being the only child, she grew up rather pampered but her personality was the gift of Jason, stubborn and rowdy.

Ever since then Vivian helped in many ways to make him feel relieved and also helped in his explorations. 

In return she also enjoyed his company, getting to know someone of her age and talking the things she loved about, it was all so glittery glow for her.

Later, they even explored a few ruins together as well, of course secretly as he wasn't allowed to step outside the Castle walls on his own. But once they were old enough they started their secret adventures.

Unlike fairy tales, here the princess helped the prince to break through the castle, remembering all this she blushed for a moment.

.

..

"Goodness, you are forgetting something aren't you?", She took a breath and rubbed her cheek before asking.

Theodore got inquisitive, he was an easy person, especially for Vivian, "What that might be?" He replied with a sob.

‘Gosh he’s so adorable, and easy’ she showed a grin on her face. 

"I am helping you find a way right? 

Do you want to leave your partner in crime alone to handle your mess?

Don’t you feel a bit guilty about that?

Feel like talking now?" Vivian sounds firm this time, just a bit of action and she knew he’d fall for it. 

.

There was silence for a while, then suddenly the doors unlocked. 

"There you are" Vivian rushed in as it opened.

‘Success!’ She cheered to herself in her mind.

"I know about it, 

but you never told me the reasons.

Idiot. Do you not trust me?” She began scolding him the moment she entered, for a moment Theo felt he had done a big mistake.

“Huh, whatever,

look, as much as I know, Oracles are always true but, as it says, the future is uncertain? 

Then why are you scared? 

Moreover, if it named you a saviour, at least stop running away from it. 

It won't do any good." 

As Vivian kept confronting him, Theodore seemed to relax a bit.

It was more like he was getting more and more flustered.

‘So...So close’ She was sitting right next to him while ruffling his hair like he was her younger sibling. 

With a little low tone and flustered expression he replied, "I am not a saviour. 

Don't even look like one. 

I never wanted to be the Crown Prince as well. 

Can I not be who I am and still be helpful enough? 

My brother's an excellent warrior, why name me over him? 

Even Merida is a hundred times better than me.” When he said so his words felt like he meant it, Vivian couldn’t help but look at her with sadness. 

He was bearing too much with a smile on his face. 

“I really can't understand Oracles. 

And what weapon?" Theodore got angry all of a sudden. He’d always act so whenever he didn’t understand anything, Vivian knew this very well.

She stayed quiet for the moment before replying.

.

..

"That we can look into later together, right? 

I’m your partner in crime as well!

For now, the guard brought your meal, finish it so that I could go and eat as well.” She brought the plate that the guard was held at the entrance of his room, 

“You don’t want a girl to stay hungry for your selfishness, or do you?” She looked at him narrowing her eyes.

Looking at her posture, how could he let it be! A beautiful girl asking to eat in such a cute way, he felt his heart melt! 

‘Easy!’ She thought to herself in her mind, after all her charm paid off well!

Handing over the plate to him she sat next to him, to ensure he ate it all! 

“Oh, and I found some new maps of an ancient ruin you were talking about. 

If you eat, I'll tell you. 

Deal?" She had this smug face, looking at which Theo was a bit scared, ‘Why does she look like a negotiator, wait she is negotiating. And so good at that.’

Theodore could hardly say no to her and nodded in agreement. 

"I'll finish it, don't worry, you go and eat with everyone else. 

They'd badmouth you otherwise.” He looked a little low when he said so,

“Will they now?” He could sense fire around her as she replied,

“You know how these nobles are, corrupt and drowned in filth." Theo's tongue turned a bit sharp to which Vivian laughed and replied,

 "I know, I know. 

Well, I will go then, come meet me in the library once you are finished okay? 

And don’t worry about anyone talking ill about me for staying with you, I’ll just punch them all!"

He gave her a nod in agreement. 

After seeing for herself that he was eating she turned around to leave his room. 

"Vivi, thanks a lot. 

I owe you even more now." 

Theodore's words made her blush, her heart began beating faster, she stormed out of the door without even replying.

She could feel her heart beating louder and louder. 

.

…

"Did he eat?" 

The sudden unknown voice made Vivian literally jumped making a little squeak.

She looked around to see Merida questioning her from her behind. 

"You! 

When did you…" Vivian got interrupted as Merida burst into laughter. 

"Ha ha ha ha, that's an interesting look. 

I'm a mage Vivi, I can sneak anywhere without anyone noticing.” She replied with a proud expression, her short figure was mostly the reason no one noticed her.

“Well, did he? 

Or wait, did you feed him with your hands?

Aww, I missed something really good!" Merida asked her while casually grabbing her hand and rubbing her palms. 

"W… Wh… What? 

N… No, how could I have… No, I didn't" 

Vivi replied with a cherry-red face to which Merida again started laughing. 

“Besides he won’t let me!” She murmured to herself,

"Interesting," Merida replied while controlling her laughter. 

"I'll be at the dining sister Merida, see you" 

Vivian walked past her while hiding her face, successfully escaping. 

"Yeah, anyways, 

Vivi!" Merida stopped Vivian, 

"Thanks for helping him with his happiness. We are all grateful for you" 

She sounded serious this time. 

Vivian replied with a gentle bow, still hiding her flustered look and left the hallway. 

.

As she left Merida touched the door gently. With a heavy feeling surging up in her chest she murmured, "Brother if only there was a way…"